Just when I think the level of human stupidity can no longer surprise me, an article like this comes along.

Quote

The head of Adana’s Health and Education Association for Autistic Children, sociologist Fehmi Kaya, recently caused a stir when he claimed all autistic children were “atheists due to a lack of a section of faith in their brains,” while adding that atheism was a form of autism, according to research.

“Autistic children do not know believing in God because they do not have a section of faith in their brains,” Kaya said, according to daily Milliyet.

Kaya said the underdevelopment of faith sections in the brain caused autistic children to not believe in God.

“That is why they don’t know how to pray, how to believe in God. It is needed to create awareness in these children through methods of therapy.”

Kaya added that autistic children should undergo treatment to “create areas of faith in their brain.”

“They need to develop feelings and learn to form empathy with others. They need to understand why normal people do what they do. As a result of that, they would need to understand that there is a creator, to whom the people pray to and believe in; and they need to understand and internalize that. That way a section of faith can be formed in their brains,” Kaya was quoted as saying.

Autistic children were atheists from birth without being aware of it, Kaya said, adding, “Research says atheism and autistic children are linked. Researchers in the USA and Canada say that atheism is a different form of autism.”

“We cannot expect a child who cannot recognize a picture to recognize God. We need to help the autistic child recognize objects through therapy by targeting areas of senses in the brain,” Kaya said.

Kaya also said that they will turn autistic children into believers through therapy sessions that will be offered freely in therapy centers in the future.

A reply to Fehmi Kaya. Much more than he deserves, really. A “section of faith in [the brain]”, indeed! The man’s all presumption and fruitcake-y Dunning–Krugeresque din and clamour. If nothing else, he shows why it’s usually a bad idea to venture publicly outside your own field of expertise.

You have to admit this is an oddly materialistic take on faith, this claim that it can be found in the brain. I find this refreshing. I've more often had people claim that faith lies in an area more incorporeal, "the soul"... and as such looking for a cause/source of it in the brain would [according to them] be futile.

At least this guy has been as kind as to set himself up to be smacked down. Like the next possible study (possibly) saying that the lack of this "area" is associated with increased intelligence, more success in life, a bigger penis, more ample breasts, lower depression rate, etc. etc. etc.

Not that any of that would be correlation = causation, but it would be equal to his argument.